Types of blood cancer
The three main types of blood and bone marrow cancer are leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma:
Leukemia is a blood cancer that originates in the blood and bone marrow. It occurs when the body creates too many abnormal white blood cells and interferes with the bone marrow’s ability to make red blood cells and platelets.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system from cells called lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infections.
Hodgkin lymphoma is a blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system from cells called lymphocytes. Hodgkin lymphoma is characterized by the presence of an abnormal lymphocyte called the Reed-Sternberg cell.
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that begins in the blood’s plasma cells, a type of white blood cell made in the bone marrow. Also, learn about the stages of multiple myeloma.
There are also less common forms of blood and bone marrow cancers, or associated disorders, including:
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): These are rare conditions that may result from damage to blood-forming cells in the bone marrow.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs): These rare blood cancers occur when the body overproduces white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. The three main subcategories are essential thrombocythemia (ET), myelofibrosis (MF) and polycythemia vera (PV).
Amyloidosis: This rare disorder, characterized by the buildup of an abnormal protein called amyloid, is not a form of cancer. But it is closely associated with multiple myeloma.
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia: This is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that starts in B cells.
Aplastic anemia: This rare condition occurs when key stem cells are damaged and can only be treated with a bone marrow transplant.
Blood cancer symptoms
Some common bone marrow and blood cancer symptoms include:
Fever, chills
Persistent fatigue, weakness
Loss of appetite, nausea
Unexplained weight loss
Night sweats
Bone/joint pain
Abdominal discomfort
Headaches
Shortness of breath
Frequent infections
Itchy skin or skin rash
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms or groin
Causes of blood cancer
All blood cancers are caused by mutations in the genetic material—the DNA—of blood cells. Other risk factors vary based on the specific type of blood cancer.
Risk factors for developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common form of leukemia in adults, include:
Advancing age
Gender: being male
Exposure to industrial chemicals such as benzene
Smoking
History of cancer treatment
Exposure to high doses of radiation
History of other blood cancers
Risk factors for developing Hodgkin lymphoma include:
History of infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which causes infectious mononucleosis (mono)
Advancing age
Gender: Being male
Family history of Hodgkin lymphoma
Compromised immune system
Risk factors for developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:
Exposure to certain industrial chemicals, herbicides and insecticides
History of chemotherapy
Radiation exposure
Compromised immune system
History of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
Risk factors for developing multiple myeloma include:
Advancing age
Gender: Being male
Race: Higher risk among African-Americans
Obesity or extra body weight. Imaging scans
Imaging scans are more helpful for some types of blood cancer than others. A scan may spot an enlarged lymph node, which is a common symptom of lymphoma, but it’s not usually used to diagnose leukemia, a blood cancer that doesn’t cause visible tumors. Still, scans may help whether cancer has affected other parts of the body.
Scans include:
Computed tomography (CT) scan
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
X-ray
Ultrasound
Certain types of scans are used during biopsies to help pinpoint the area to be sampled.
Blood tests
A complete blood count (CBC) shows the cell count of different components of blood, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.
Blood chemistry tests measure levels of key substances in your blood. Abnormal levels of certain proteins, for example, may offer information about your condition. If multiple myeloma is suspected, doctors may want to check your blood calcium level. For possible lymphoma, an enzyme called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) may be measured.
Blood cancer treatment and therapy options
Treatment for blood and bone marrow cancers depends on the type of cancer, your age, how fast the cancer is progressing, where the cancer has spread and other factors. Some common blood cancer treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma include:
Stem cell transplantation: A stem cell transplant infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into the body. Stem cells may be collected from the bone marrow, circulating blood and umbilical cord blood.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to interfere with and stop the growth of cancer cells in the body. Chemotherapy for blood cancer sometimes involves giving several drugs together in a set regimen. This treatment may also be given before a stem cell transplant.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy may be used to destroy cancer cells or to relieve pain or discomfort. It may also be given before a stem cell transplant.
Learn more about leukemia treatments, Hodgkin lymphoma treatments, non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatments and multiple myeloma treatments.
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